Bachelor of Creative Arts and Community Wellbeing (Visual Art)
UndergraduateUSQ-CAV-DEG2025
Your creativity can improve the lives of others
Get ready for a creative career in community services. You’ll learn to use your talent to help people feel happier and healthier. The visual art specialisation covers painting, ceramics, and more. Gain the confidence to lead and facilitate.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 3 years full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 24
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Bachelor of Creative Arts and Community Wellbeing (Visual Art)
About this degree
On successful completion of the program, students should be able to:
- Apply practical proficiency in a chosen creative arts discipline to achieve the processes and outcomes necessary for a skilled artist working in communities.
- Apply theoretical and historical underpinnings of the Human Services and of a chosen creative arts discipline by illustrating an awareness of context and impact in relation to current practice.
- Communicate persuasively in written, verbal and creative form to affect successful engagement with industry, government and communities by employing cultural and emotional intelligence, ethical perspectives, and critical and creative thinking.
- Engage autonomous and collaborative strategies to conceive, design, implement, manage, and acquit projects relevant to the human services and creative arts industries.
- Examine, select and apply appropriate theoretical knowledge of human services, based on social justice and human rights in the Australian and global context, when cooperating with diverse communities to achieve positive outcomes.
- Employ empathy, equity and justice when encountering issues concerning the welfare of, and advocacy for, individuals and groups.
- UniSQ’s Bachelor of Creative Arts and Community Wellbeing (Visual Art) will expand your creativity, leadership and facilitation skills, and your understanding of the needs of community care and development. Build your technical, analytical and research skills within all visual art areas, including the studio disciplines: painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, and drawing, and be introduced to curatorial and cultural management. The combination of courses in human services and visual arts, along with a project placement in a community organisation during your final year, will make you career-ready to utilise your creative talents to generate wellbeing in diverse communities.
Recommended study pattern
Year 1
HSW1500 Collective Action and Community Development
SCA1001 Persuasive Communication: Presenting Yourself and Your Ideas
VIS1010 2D Studio Foundations
HSW1110 Mental Health and Psychosocial Disability
SCA1002 Introduction to Creative and Critical Thinking
VIS1020 3D Studio Foundations
2 x Electives
Year 2
SCA2001 Cultural Responsibilities and Creative Communities
VIS2010 Intermediate Studio 1
VIS1101 Perspectives in Visual Arts: Movements, Moments and Events
SCA2002 Arts Business: Making and Managing Your Arts Career
VIS2020 Intermediate Studio 2
CAW2002 Community and Self Care
2 x Electives
Year 3
HSW3220 Reimagining Solutions for a Changing World: Social Innovation for Sustainable Futures
CAW3001 Community Project 1
VIS3202 Global Cultures
CAW3002 Community Project 2
4 x Electives
Award requirements
Completion of 24 units as outlined in the Recommended Study Pattern section.Exit points
Diploma of Creative Arts Studies.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative first year fee
$14,475
Indicative total fee $43,425
The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
As Australia’s #1 university for graduate starting salary (Good Universities Guide, 2022), University of Southern Queensland is the right place to make real progress. Regardless of your education history, your age or your aspirations, at UniSQ you’ll be inspired by quality learning experiences matched with top resources and research. Having delivered distance and online learning for over 40+ years, UniSQ supports you to learn at your own pace—exactly how it suits you.
Learn more about USQ.
Explore USQ courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 24
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 25
How to apply
University of Southern Queensland manages enquiries and applications for this degree.
Complete your details and we'll make sure your enquiry is sent to University of Southern Queensland who will contact you to discuss this degree.
Don't worry, we're still here to help you - you'll receive a personalised follow-up from an Open Universities Australia student advisor to make sure you have found the right degree for you.
Entry requirements
- ATAR - 60.00 or equivalent Attend an audition and interview with selected creative arts discipline staff to confirm satisfactory capacity to participate in practical courses. If you do not hold an ATAR, applicants can successfully undertake an audition/interview and supply a written statement. Proof of meeting the English Language Proficiency requirements is also required.
- Completed VET qualifications can be used to derive an ATAR score or Selection Rank which may be used to meet the Entry Requirements for the program. We encourage you to reach out to the UniSQ team to discuss your options further.
- Work and Life experience may be used to derive an ATAR score or Selection Rank which may be used to meet the Entry Requirements for the program. We encourage you to reach out to the UniSQ team to discuss your options further.
- Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the UniSQ Credit and Exemption Procedure. Claims for credit for previous study should be submitted prior to or at the time of enrolment. Each claim will be assessed on individual merit in line with UniSQ policy.
Career opportunities
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Actors, Dancers and Other Entertainers | $93K to $120K | Down 30.9% |
| Community Workers | N/A^ | N/A^ |
| Disabilities Services Officers | N/A^ | N/A^ |
| Entertainers and Variety Artists | N/A^ | N/A^ |
| Musicians | N/A^ | N/A^ |
| Welfare, Recreation and Community Arts Workers | $75K to $93K | Up 29.8% |
| Youth Workers | N/A^ | N/A^ |